Did LeBron James secretly get hair transplant? Story behind former MVP's changing hairline explained

In 2014, LeBron James headband grew in size as a means to hide his receding hairline, but it was ineffective as fans began noticing
UPDATED NOV 13, 2024
LeBron James had long been open about his hair loss, but he kept the details of how he stopped balding under wraps (Getty Images)
LeBron James had long been open about his hair loss, but he kept the details of how he stopped balding under wraps (Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: NBA legend and Lakers star LeBron James has long admitted to losing his hair. However, he has been less than open about how he managed to stop himself from balding over the years, reported Nicki Swift on Saturday, November 9.

The size of the headband of the former Cleveland Cavaliers forward had started to grow in an attempt to hide his receding hairline in 2014. The effort was futile, and his followers began to take notice. However, in September that year, Deadspin reported that James' hair suddenly appeared fuller, and concluded that the star probably put in hair plugs.

CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 21: LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates during the fourth q
LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates during the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on March 21, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio (Jason Miller/Getty Images)

Experts share their opinion of LeBron James' hair transplant

Experts in the field began to share their take on whether LeBron James' had a surgical hair transplant in the following days.

In an interview with Cleveland 19 News in September 2014, Rob Hoffman, the president of the Hairline Clinic of Akron, shared that James "definitely has more hair there's no question."

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 11: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts during the
LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts during the fourth quarter against the Miami Heat in Game Six of the 2020 NBA Finals at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on October 11, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida (Getty Images)

He believed the star opted for a hair transplant process known as follicular unit extraction (FUE), and explained, "We go in and we take each hair follicle out one at a time."

In a video uploaded on YouTube, plastic surgeon Dr Gary Linkov, shared, "I guess as time goes by, he's been getting more transplants." He also believed that the athlete took the help of a concealer to fortify his hairline.



 

However, all such claims were contradicted by James' former personal barber Nick Castemanos, who insisted that he did not take any help, and told Yahoo!Sports in June 2015, "There is no dye. No additives. No preservatives."

Wardrobe malfunction that revealed LeBron James' hair secret

After joining the Lakers, LeBron James experienced a wardrobe malfunction during a game in October 2019, where his hair moved along with his headband.

Teammate Anthony Davis brought the situation to James' attention from the courtside, and clips of their exchange went viral on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

"Bron’s weave guy is SO fired," posted a troll. "Whoever invents weave glue that won’t sweat out is gettin ALL the King’s money."



 

Former NBA player and sports analyst Jalen Rose discussed James' hair situation during an interview on Hot 97 in November 2019.

"So LeBron has something that's called a 'unit.' If you notice, you ain't seen LeBron rocking a headband since." he said, adding that James was using something similar to a hairpiece and not a hair transplant. "What I hear is it's not necessarily surgically done. It's more stitched."

MORE STORIES

The post Khloe Kardashian liked featured Charlie Kirk speaking with a fan at an event about his devout Christian faith
Sep 13, 2025
Whitney Cummings sparked widespread outrage after posting a controversial tweet about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk
Sep 13, 2025
Prince Harry was spotted entering King Charles’s London residence, months after saying his father had ignored his calls
Sep 11, 2025
Rosie O'Donnell said Ellen DeGeneres’ friendship denial hurt so much she printed T-shirts for her staff reading, 'I don’t know Rosie, we’re not friends'
Sep 10, 2025
A post alleged that Karoline Leavitt called Patti LaBelle 'just a singer,' leading LaBelle to deliver a seven-word response that froze the studio
Sep 10, 2025
Jennifer Lopez feels free channeling emotions into music, but Ben Affleck is embarrassed and sees it as crossing a line, according to the source
Sep 9, 2025
Howard Stern added that he missed last week’s show due to illness, not contract talks, and addressed rumors of being fired from his own show
Sep 9, 2025
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement in August 2025 triggered a wave of pregnancy chatter after an ultrasound photo went viral
Sep 9, 2025
Ed Sheeran, 34, revealed that he was leaving Suffolk with his wife Cherry Seaborn and their two daughters, Lyra and Jupiter
Sep 9, 2025
From Ice Spice’s chaotic corset to Paris Hilton’s flame dress, see the celebs who landed on the worst-dressed list at the 2025 VMAs
Sep 8, 2025